A blast during a funeral procession, believed to have targeted a Hezbollah operative in Lebanon’s capital city Beirut, was captured on video and shared widely on social media. Jason Brodsky, Policy Director at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), shared the footage, showing a large crowd of men, women, and children attending the funeral when a sudden explosion erupted near an ambulance.
The video, filmed by an onlooker on a mobile phone, depicts a plume of smoke rising from a person standing near the vehicle. The blast, visually similar to the bursting of a firecracker, had people rushing to safety and is said to be a walkie-talkie explosion.
ABP News could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
A #Hezbollah walkie talkie explodes at a funeral today in #Lebanon after yesterday’s exploding Hezbollah pagers. pic.twitter.com/b8TIfUUBKq
— Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) September 18, 2024
The exact location of the blast remains unclear but an explosion was also reported at a funeral in Beirut for three Hezbollah members and a child killed by pager bombings the previous day. The explosion, which occurred on Wednesday, marks the second wave of attacks targeting Hezbollah members through electronic devices. The blast happened just as mourners were paying their respects to the victims of Tuesday’s deadly pager bombings, which claimed at least 12 lives, including two children, and injured around 2,800 people, news agency AP reported.
Several more blasts were reported in other parts of Beirut and across Lebanon today, with a total of nine deaths and over 300 injuries confirmed by the Lebanese Health Ministry.
An AP photographer in the southern city of Sidon documented similar devastation, with a car and mobile phone shop heavily damaged after devices exploded inside. In one incident, a girl was injured when a solar energy system detonated in the south, AP’s report stated.
ALSO READ | 9 Dead, Over 300 Injured As Walkie-Talkies Used By Hezbollah Explode In Lebanon Day After Pager Blasts
Israel Declares ‘New Phase In The War’
The Lebanese public remains gripped by fear and uncertainty as the attacks, widely attributed to Israel targeting Hezbollah, appear to signal a dangerous escalation in the long-standing conflict. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, while addressing troops on Wednesday, made a veiled remark, stating, “We are at the start of a new phase in the war.”
Hezbollah, which has been exchanging fire with Israeli forces since the 8th of October, issued a statement following the explosions, vowing continued strikes against Israel in support of its ally, Hamas, while also promising retribution for Tuesday’s massacre.
With Israeli forces moving more troops to the border and Hezbollah’s ongoing military actions, fears are mounting that Lebanon could soon find itself in the midst of a broader conflict.
